Mutants
by bunnies-of-plotting
Summary: Harry has been found by Mystique and taken back to the states. From there, things progress until a secret comes out to his new comrades as he shows them something and then they become involved in something much larger than themselves.


**Disc.- I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, NOR DO I OWN X-MEN. **I don't even own my soul anymore, what makes you think I'd own _nice_ things like these?

**So…** I was reading some cross-over fics, and I thought, 'what the hell, right?' This will probably get a little confusing, so any questions, put it in reviews because I'm just messed like that. Not really. It I were messed like _that_, I couldn't believe in the dark and awesome power of Basement-Cat. _**Hail, Basement–Cat!**_

**(~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~)**

Blank eyes stared up at the many spiders that in habited the cupboard with him. As the small four year-old stared, he felt an odd sense of anticipation. It had been plaguing him for the past few days, and he was getting antsy and skittish, more so than usual. Vernon had taken to beating him more often, and he received less of the food he made for the three other occupants of Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging. He didn't understand why, but he had started becoming angered at them, irritated at them. Irritated at everyone. From his relatives that hated him, to the neighbors that listened to whatever stories Petunia and Vernon said while overlooking the facts that he was smaller than any normal four year-old with his large glasses and quiet demeanor. They also ignored his bruises and his severe dislike of physical touch, and they ignored it when he was in the garden all day with no food, water, or supervision. His teachers that did the same, believing the adults and blaming him when Dudley wailed that it was his fault.

This _angered_ him. This _bothered_ and _concerned_ him. How many other children with his _special_ _abilities_ got treated like this? How many children, _period_, got treated like this? Disregarded because adults were too absorbed into their own personal, over-exaggerated problems? Because no one wanted to bother? Because they didn't _care_?

Harry hadn't known any other life than with the Dursleys', and previously, he hadn't known that his treatment was downright illegal and cruel; he had always thought it was just a _bit_ severe. He may be able to read and write (he had to read recipes after all to make the Dursleys' food) and he may have an understanding greater than that of any child his age (and quite a few above his age) but he never bothered thinking of things like what he was. The Dursleys' had smashed, kicked, hit, spit and just in general stamped any rebellion and fight out of him before he got a chance to realize he _had_ any fight. How many other children suffered through like he had? It was alright when it was him, but what about others? What about them?

He may be young, but by no means stupid. He knew not everyone was like the Dursleys', but how many _were_?

This was the thought that propelled him to get up, to go to the kitchen, and find the large butcher's knife. This was what propelled him to murder Vernon and Petunia Dursley. He would not do the same to Dudley. Of course, he had to be silenced and kept down at least. And so, paralyzed from the waist down and mute, he left Dudley Dursley in his room. There was no blood or broken bones. Harry's odd power had given what he wanted without causing pain to his cousin. He left after that, and _nobody_ would hear of Harrison James Potter in nearly a decade or so. During that decade or so, however…

-(~0~)-

"I shall not.", the five year-old said with cold apathy.

"B-but, dear,", the homely woman stuttered nervously. Nobody wanted to confront Piper Sophronius Pantera. Ever since the child arrived half-a-year ago, his indifferent attitude and his silence unnerved the workers at Sun-Side Orphanage. The other children had begun to bully him immediately because he didn't speak, and he didn't play outside and laugh and smile. Instead, he stayed in the library or art room, where he painted and drew _beautiful_ things. In fact, _he_ was beautiful as well. With ebony, gentle curls working to his small shoulders, and his aristocratic features and fine-boned, small and slim body, he was mistaken often for a girl. His pale skin and long, curling lashes were also attractive, but what drew in most couples and people looking to adopt, were his eyes. He had eyes not of emerald or jade, though they were as cold and hard as either stone, no…He had eyes of such brightness that it was often compared to neon and spring-grass. Of course, the freezing eyes seemed like frozen hell-fire to any who would wonder near him in the Sunday-Adoption day. "D-don't you want to have a family?", she pleaded. She had been trying to convince him to come down for the past twenty-minutes and she was getting desperate.

"No.", he said firmly, fixing her with a blank stare. She colored at that.

"S-sweetie,"

"Do not call me by such endearments.", he demanded of her cruelly. "Now leave me.", he dismissed her, going back to the paint-easel he was using. When she went back down, talking in hushed tones with another worker, a woman looking to adopt heard.

"Please,", she said warmly, "Let me see him. I'm sure that he's just nervous.", she insisted, even as the women threw her looks of incredulity.

"Of course, Ms. Darkholme.", the leaner woman said hesitantly, "If you wish.", and she was led up winding stairs as the woman explained that he used highest art-room in the building (which used to be a boarding school), and he slept on the seventh floor. "He's very intelligent, and usually ever so polite, but…Well, you'll see.", she fidgeted as she opened a redwood double-door. Inside was the beautiful boy, the sunlight cascading in through the window and illuminating everything. The room was large and spacious and the boy sat in the middle of the room, his back turned to them.

"May I be of assistance?", he asked softly.

"P-Piper, dear, this is Raven Darkholme.", the woman stuttered, shaking slightly. The boy didn't stop the gentle strokes of his brush on the large paper, "She's here f-for the Adoption Day."

"I believe that she would be, Ms. Abettie.", he countered serenely, "But what, I wonder, are you _here_ for?", he asked, directing it towards Ms. Darkholme, finally turning around to face them. "There are plenty of children to choose from downstairs.", then he narrowed his eyes. "Ah, I see why you have come, Ms. Darkholme. Ms. Abettie, would you leave us for a moment?", he asked, never taking his slightly narrowed eyes off of the woman in the doorway. The worker hesitated, but left at his request. "Mystique, correct?", he asked the woman, turning back to his painting. "From the Brotherhood of 'Evil' Mutants.", the woman was speechless for a few moments. "I was not reading your mind. I do not wish to learn of the things _you_ have done.", he said in a wry voice. "Your name gave you away."

"You know of American mutant-groups?", she asked, her voice suddenly sultry and he didn't need to look back to see the woman was blue-skinned with red hair and vibrant yellow eyes.

"Only the Brotherhood and the X-Men, but I know Magneto has his own followers, the Acolytes or some such?", he replied boredly, "He has found your Brotherhood weak and lacking, I believe it was.", he looked over his shoulder at her, "Why would you choose your members from a _high-school_ level?", he asked derisively. "Really. What terrible picks. Of course, if they were properly trained, they might be able to actually _defeat_ the X-Men for once."

"And how do you feel about joining us?", she asked him. He paused.

-(~0~)-

"It would seem that someone has managed to capture my interests.", Piper said tonelessly to the stunned workers. Raven Darkholme smiled kindly at them, her hand resting on his shoulder. In his black messenger-bag were numerous paintings of his, shrunk for convenience. "Farewell. My time here has been…Memorable.", he restrained from actually sneering at them. They left five minutes later with the paperwork done. "I will not be going across the pond in an _airplane_,", he sniffed and grabbed her hand. They quickly faded from view. She nearly cried out, but held back on it. The next she knew, they were in front of the ill-taken care of large house. She gasped in shock. "Fading.", he said as he began up the walkway, twisting his fingers at the house. She watched it change and morph as loud yells called from inside the house as a few teens scrambled out of the house. The house grew larger and steadily more Victorian-styled. Soon it was black, four stories high and elegant. "I am a high-standards being.", he said in explanation to the woman as the teens stormed up to them.

"What the hell was that all about!", a rowdy brunet demanded loudly.

"Yeah, I was tryin' ta take a shower!", a crouched figure growled.

"What an odd little man you are.", Piper said, looking at the hunched boy with curious eyes. That was when he was noticed.

"Uh, Mystique?", a white-haired, tall and lean teen asked, "Why is there a little kid with you?", he asked, keeping his silvery eyes on the boy uncertainly.

"This is Piper Sophronius Pantera.", she introduced, "And he is the one who fixed our base.", she pointed to the now-beautiful, if somewhat haunting home.

"Only those who are…Part of this, _Brotherhood_, can see the sudden change.", he said in mostly monotone. "One word of my accent, you'll find yourselves sleeping with the snakes."

"Don't you mean dogs?"

"No. I mean snakes.", he said flatly as he raised a hand and a very large, very thick snake seemed to appear and hissed menacingly at them. The teens all jumped back with startled cries. Piper hissed to the large black python, and watched as it seemed to nod before heading off. "Alminda,", he nodded to the snake, "Will be getting other snakes to spy on your X-Men.", he told the terrified teens. "And do grow up. Surely you've faced something more dangerous than a mere _python_?", he asked in a condescending voice. They scowled or frowned at him.

"Yo', brat, you betta wat-", the oddly hunched teen was now floating in the air, as his arms and legs were forced out, making him straighten his back.

"…Slouching is bad for your back.", his voice was soft as anything, and more dangerous than they had ever heard. "I assume that your pecking order is Mystique, Pietro, Wanda, Lance, with Fred and Todd sharing their place as lowest.", he ticked off his fingers with each person. "Pietro, I shall warn you now…Seeing as you are a _selfish_ thing…If you cross me, I'll castrate you.", he said blandly. The men covered their crotches, wincing, before Pietro's arrogance came back.

"Oh please, pipsqueak, you'd never be able to catch me,", he said smugly. Piper raised a brow. Suddenly, the teen was on the ground, pinned by chains that had come up from the earth.

"Wanda, I really don't care what you do to others, nor do I care for your sordid past, as long as you don't bother me,", he ignored the stunned look she had on her face and the paling of the boys. Then the girl got angry. Her power began to crackle around her, and he decided to put a stop to it. His power slammed down on hers', forcing her to her knees as she cried out in pain. "Stupid, insolent girl,", he sneered down at her crying form, "Your power is uncontrolled and nothing short of you having irrational temper-tantrums,", he snapped out, even as he pressed his power down on her harder, "I don't care if you were locked in a nut-house, you bint, did you have the bloody skills to murder someone at the age of four?", her hands were slammed forcefully to her sides, "I don't think you lived off of the streets, spoilt girl, until some idiot found you and placed you in an orphanage.", he seethed as she screamed in agony. He sniffed in disgust down at her as he freed her of his magic. "You are a pathetic little bug. Control yourself, or I might have to _accidently_ damage your nerve-endings.", he let Toad (Todd Tolanski) fall to the ground where he scrambled towards Wanda. "Mystique, I would ask why you have such _imbeciles_ with you, but I know that Magneto forced his kids on you along with a few others to distract the X-Men with.", then he turned to Fred (the Blob), "You, though, are _quite_ valuable.", he said with a calculating eye. Then he turned to Lance, "Kitty will soon leave you, by the way. She'll tell you that as long as you two are enemies, she can't be with you. Get over her, you _useless_ idiot.", then he turned back to Pietro, "I've decided I like you.", he said abruptly and left him free of the chains. "You're clever."

The white-haired teen blinked with wide eyes. This little pretty-boy had just taken down his sister, changed their house, can speak to snakes, is British (that's always important; accents), and had insulted, blatantly, almost everybody. "Then…Could you help me get back at Daniels?"

"That Spyke-boy? I'm surprised you had trouble with him.", he thought, but then shrugged, "However, I'm bored and require entertainment. No killing or maiming, though. _Those_ days are over for now.", he muttered the last sentence. Pietro didn't quite mind. If this little Nancy-boy with that much power decided he liked him, Pietro wasn't going to turn that down. "We'll need to lure him out. In fact, I want them all to come out. I want to see just whose been kicking your arses.", and Toad snorted.

"Arses,", he sniggered.

-(~0~)-

"Scott, Jean, the Brotherhood are at it again. Can you get there before they cause too much trouble?", Ororo (Storm) asked the teens. Scott groaned.

"Ugh, won't they ever give up?", Jean placed a comforting hand on his arm.

-(~0~)-

"Lance, stop it!", Kitty (Shadow Cat) cried out, looking to her boyfriend. He merely grinned roguishly and sent earth at her. "Lance!"

"I can't get into their minds!", Jean shouted to her teammates, her fingers at her temples as she concentrated.

"Jean, look out!", Cyclops called, but Nightcrawler got to her before Wanda's blast did. Wanda, for her part, felt _rejuvenated_ after Piper had sent her a strong wave of healing power. Rogue charged at Wanda, but she blasted her away easily.

_'Rogue, stop this. Do you really think that they'll understand you?'_, a smooth voice filled her mind, _'They can't help you. Not like I can. Your power is so wonderful, Rogue, can't you see that? I can help you train. So that you can touch…Feel…Kiss.'_, the voice added and showed her a fleeting mental picture of Scott smiling kindly at her,_ 'I won't make you join the Brotherhood again. I wouldn't make you go through that…But I can help you control your powers.'_

"Yeah? And what do you get out of it?", she yelled out, startling her teammates.

_'What I get out of it?...I don't like to be touched. At all. But you do. It's my personal mission to help other children with…Disorders like mine and yours. You can't touch anybody, because you can't yet control yourself. I…I fear touch. So do you. I hate it, so much and I…Won't see another go through that. You can be saved from that fear, and I can't but I can at least help you.',_ the voice told her sincerely. She paused for a few moments. Nightcrawler popped next to her.

"Rogue?", she was silent, before staring into the distance with a worried frown.

_'You may bring him with you. He adores you, you know. Keep him close, he cares about you.',_ the voice whispered._ 'Where to go? Simple. After this is over, tell Kurt that you want to go for a walk in the city for a bit. He'll offer to join you. I'll guide from there, Rogue.',_ she nodded, more to herself than anything, before finally letting herself smile at Nightcrawler. The boy stood, frozen for a moment.

"I'm fine, Kurt.", she said to him, "Now let's kick their butts!", and his face split in an absolutely ecstatic grin. In the small forest at the park they were fighting at, Piper shook his head, making a face at the sappy emotions he had to use to convince her. Then he caught a glimpse of a certain black boy with blond hair, throwing out spikes. Raising his hand, he made a fist and the boy fell to the ground, trembling. Spikes began to grow, out of his control and into Piper's.

Pietro laughed, running fast circles around him to create a small cyclone until a red beam shot at him. Of course, narrowed green eyes stopped that quickly as the red dissolved into vapor. Mystique stood next to him, one hand on her hip as she watched. "I'll be tutoring your children. Rogue will lose control if she stays with them-and they won't be able to help her. And Kurt has a few locked up powers, too.", he said to her as he protected Lance from another of Cyclops' beams. "Beam-boy is calling for back-up."

"Beam-boy?", she asked with a slightly amused smirk.

"I'm going to name all of them. Beam-boy likes Fat-head, for example. But I don't think Airhead,", he pointed at the girl, "Is very smart. Oh, Kurt may have a growing crush on Rogue.", he warned, "He used to like Airhead, but Airhead is,", he paused, "Well, an airhead. He likes Rogue much more.", Mystique frowned, thinking.

"…Perhaps that would be best.", she reluctantly admitted. Those were her babies, one her son, the other her adopted daughter, but…After what they've been through, maybe it would be better for them. Piper nodded, before a car and motorcycle sped onto the scene.

"Here comes the fun.", Piper said as he and Mystique walked out into the area as people came out. There were only three, a bald man in a wheelchair, a white-haired woman with dark skin, and a burly man with black hair and stubble. The teens raced to them, seeking protection, except for Spyke, who was trapped in Pietro's cyclone, taunting the blond boy inside. The chocolate-skinned woman tried to go to his aid, calling on winds to try and blow Quicksilver away from her nephew. However, Wanda blasted her away from her little brother. Toad bounced and took Cyclops' visor, making him shut his eyes tightly and shout out in rage. The hunched teen laughed as he leapt over to Mystique, and the others soon congregated around them, giving superior smirks. Piper cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing the smallest. "Sunshine, Brainiac, and…Hm. What do you think for the one with claws?", he asked quietly.

"Maybe…Fluffy?", Toad suggested. Mystique laughed throatily, nodding to that.

"Sunshine, Brainiac and Fluffy have come to protect Beam-boy, Fat-head and Airhead. At least Rogue and Nightcrawler were actually using their powers instead of _standing_ _there_ moaning that their powers weren't working.", she said, glaring viciously at the three. "And what of Spyke?", Mystique asked. Quicksilver answered.

"He's nothing!", Pietro stuck his nose in the air with his victorious smirk. "He lost control of his powers,", Storm rushed to her nephew's side. His back, arms, legs and neck were covered by the sharp spikes. He was groaning on the ground. "He's gonna get someone killed one of these days."

"Stop this,", Storm commanded, holding the boy who was trembling and now had tears leaking at his eyes.

"Why would we do that, Sunshine?", Fred (the Blob) asked back, now scowling at her.

"We're winnin'. _You_ don't stop when _you're_ winnin'. You press harder until _we_ have ta be sent da the hospital!", Toad went on hotly.

"They send you to the hospital?", this statement made the X-Men notice Piper. "The ones fighting for 'good' sending young, inexperienced teens to the hospital because they messed around a bit. Have they ever hurt anyone?", he asked the teens with a raised brow, "Sending strong, sometimes _coma_-inducing mental blasts at them, and beams that cut through metal?", he went on with a condescending glare that had Jean and Scott shrinking back. "Rogue only touches long enough to knock out. Nightcrawler, only hits them down, or misplaces them. Strange how the 'leaders' of this little group are the ones being reckless, don't you believe?", then he turned his gaze to Shadow-Cat, "And you, _you're_ just entirely useless, aren't you? You can sink people into walls and what-have-you, but you won't do it. Only thing you can do is go through things, doors, _safes_.", he added. Storm had had enough and she rose up in the air as the sky began to darken, ignoring Professor X's pleads of 'He's just a child,', and Logan's warning of the boy's power.

"You dare?", she thundered as winds began to whip around, "You dare to accuse them, to belittle them in such a way?", lightning sped towards him and the people around him, who were all glaring hatefully at her and the other X-Men, not at all concerned with getting hit. The lightning was frozen in the air. Before it changed from the white glow to a violently pale green and sped towards her, faster and stronger. She gasped before it struck, sending her shooting up from the force until it stopped, sending her spiraling to the ground.

"Interesting.", was all Piper said, "She can't handle her own power thrown back at her.", he looked up at the other two adults with green eyes glowing in curiosity. "Don't attack the people with me. I will stop or block them. Don't attack or threaten me, though, either. She's lucky to be alive,", he turned his head towards her, "That bolt she sent at me would have killed me five times over in her rage.", he turned back to them, "How would it feel to have _that_ on your conscience?", he asked. "She tried to murder me. What good, _righteous_ people you pick up.", he said to them. "Shall we go?", he asked.

"I don't want to be near them,", Wanda growled, as she linked hands with her brother and Mystique, slight sparks of purple energy crackling near her.

"They're not worth getting upset over,", the young boy soothed, and the X-Men watched in amazement as she settled, tense shoulders relaxing as the others grabbed another's hand. Piper's hands were held in Toad's hand and Pietro's hand before they faded, thin black vapor trailing after them. "Till we next meet, I should only hope a homicide won't occur on your hands,", with that they were gone. When they got back, Piper snorted. "Their weaknesses are glaringly obvious.", he said as they left go. "That professor values life, that last comment will leave him worried and doubtful of Beam-boy and Fat-head's abilities to lead the younger years, as well as keeping an eye on Sunshine.", he told them as he moved towards the kitchen. "They've been holding the mantle too long,", he said with a dark gleam in his eye as he began towards the kitchen. "We'll be discussing things over lunch in fifteen minutes. Until then, think of their weaknesses and tell me what you think they are.", they obeyed without question and only Lance thought for a second, 'Wait, why are we _listening_ to this kid?', before he realized, 'He holds the most power and he knows what he's doing.'

-(~0~)-

Lunch was a wonderful thing, they learned, when Piper was cooking. In fact, it took them almost twenty minutes to actually begin talking because they were too absorbed in the generous amount of food they were being fed. Piper seemed amused by this, a slight smile on his face, eyes lit in something akin to mirth and warmth as he sat cross-legged on Fred's shoulder, drawing in his sketchbook. "Content?", he asked them as they sighed happily. They looked up at him.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?", the question was breathed out by Wanda, she simply started to adore the boy. He raised his eyebrows.

"Just a…Habit. I was bored and decided to give a go at cooking at the orphanage.", he answered, partially false. "Surely it wasn't that good."

"Yes it was!", Lance added immediately. Then flushed a bit, "Well, I mean, uh…"

"Can you cook all our meals?", Pietro asked, looking at him expectantly.

"I don't see a problem with it…", he said, tilting his head slightly. "Anyways, I should head off now. I need to meet someone who needs some training. I'll be back soon,", he faded without waiting for a response.

"That kid's awesome.", Pietro said factually.

-(~0~)-

It took three hours, but Rogue advanced. She could touch someone if she was consciously thinking of holding her powers back. It left her exhausted by the end, but she was ecstatic. Kurt had smiled for her, but had to physically restrain himself from hugging her in his zeal. By the time he sent them along their way until next week, they had been gone for eight hours. Rogue could now keep most of her power reined in for five minutes without becoming tired. That was when Kurt really _did_ hug her.

"Next week, children, next week,", he told them with a formal bow before he faded.

-(~0~)-

When Lance came into the dining room, he jumped. The smell of delicious food, and the sound of music came to him. He leaned in, hearing the little boy sing along. _"You are all over my rainbow,_", he sang with a sweetly quality, "_Taking the scene, in my crazy dream_,", he sounded serene and content, "_Only you are on my rainbow…No one else here, nothing gets near…You_…", opening the door. The boy was swirling around the kitchen, getting things and cooking, but there was a small smile on his face that spoke of rare times of such innocence and ease. Lance stood in a stupor watching him. Pietro soon came along, and looked in, pushing Lance to the side to look in. "_Nothing's fast or slow, it's in between, where red and green and land and oceans meet. Peacefully I'm quiet, cause nothing here is mad, bad or dangerous to know_,", his voice was lovely, and Pietro stepped into the room, absorbed by the song. Green eyes vivid encircled by thick black lashes glanced to him unconcernedly as he continued. Lance followed in, watching him as well. Once the song ended, he turned to face them. "Hungry?", he asked, waving a hand to the foods he made. "Into the dining room then,", he said, and the plates and platters began to float after him.

"Hey…Where did you go anyways?"

"Tutoring."

"You?", Lance asked dubiously. The boy stared back at him blandly until he looked away nervously.

"Perhaps later I'll show you something…In fact, we need to go across the pond for a bit soon. Maybe tomorrow?", he mused aloud as the others began to assemble.

"Across the pond?"

"Back to England. I have a few friends there who could help."

-(~0~)-

"Honey? Honey!", the call was heard before they even fully materialized and the smallest of the group was immediately tackled by a man whose sheer size was intimidating, let alone the thick and defined muscles. "Aw, babe, it's good to see ya'!", others began to peek out, and as more began to recognize the little boy, more smiling or ecstatic faces came out.

"Marius, get _off_ me, you great oaf!", the man grinned goofily, picking him up instead.

"But you're so cute like this,"

"Honey, it's been many years since we last had the pleasure of seeing your lovely face."

The woman who said it was older, with pale silver eyes and dark hair streaked proudly at the temples with ashen-gray. She wore a long, shimmery silver robe that trailed on the black marble floors. She smiled coolly, faint lines appearing.

"And you've brought others I see."

More came out. "Honey, Honey's back!", went through the small, but growing, crowd. The others that came with him examined the others in suspicion. They began to notice a few were…Different, physically.

"Brotherhood, meet the Trinity of the X.", Piper told them, still perched high on the large man's shoulder. "The original mutant group of England."

-(~0~)-

"Who do you think he is?", Jean murmured, staring with troubled sage eyes at her sort-of boyfriend. That was when Kurt bounced I, dragging a sleepy Rogue in with him. She wore a long, dark blue silk robe that clung to her rather appealing body she normally hid. She was rubbing sleep out of her eyes, and her make-up wasn't on yet, the other two teens were shocked to learn. Her lips, normally painted blue, were a pleasantly, fetching dark pink against her pale skin, and her eyes didn't seem as gray, but more of a smoky green. Kurt was happily babbling to her, holding the wrist of her robe to tug her along to the fridge to prepare them both breakfast as she leaned against the counter, sliding down on it drowsily. Kurt glanced back with sparkling eyes.

"Rogue are you okay?", Scott asked concernedly. She moaned lightly, digging her head deeper into her arms.

"Kitty was keeping her awake,", Kurt explained cheerfully, "About Lance.", Jean looked at him carefully.

"About…About Lance?", she asked slowly, exchanging a glance with Scott. They were positive that Kurt liked Kitty, in that way, but he spoke of her attachment to the thug Lance as if he didn't really much care about it. Kurt bounced his head, taking his gathered eggs to the stove to begin on food. Rogue needed her energy after all for practice next week, and it's good to get a head start! He hummed happily, worrying the two other fully awake teens. "Rogue!", he said in sing-song, and the girl made a grunt in response. "Would you help me with my English homework?", he asked, popping over to the other side of the kitchen to grab the pepper that was sitting at the windowsill for some reason.

"Wha-?", her voice was a bit rough from sleep, making her accent a bit thicker that made Kurt give her a beam. "English is _easy_, Kurt. What are you having trouble with?", that prompted Kurt to go into a full frontal attack on the difficulties and intricacies of high-school English and literature. By the middle of it, Logan had come in, and silently handed Rogue a mug strong black coffee. She was awake immediately and soon throwing in comments and how to comprehend certain trickier subjects. Logan leaned against the counter next to her as Kurt continued making food. Scott watched with rapt attention as Rogue scoffed, pushing herself off the counter and putting her hands on her hips and disagreeing strongly of Kurt's uneasiness and fear of Poe's works.

"But it's scary!", Kurt burst with a frown, "How do you not find it scary?", she raised an eyebrow patronizingly.

"Honey, I've been in several people's _minds_. Trust me, some of them weren't exactly the _nicest_ people.", she told him and he winced, his tail flickering behind him as he looked at her nervously.

"Scarier than Poe?", he asked, and she rolled her eyes, leaning back against the counter again and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes Kurt. Scarier than Poe. And why are you so afraid of it anyways? It's a story,", her eyes looked far away, "They're great works of art that spoke of his fears and his thoughts on life around him. It's fascinating to read."

"But there's so much death, Anna."

"Anna?", Jean asked with a slight frown. Kurt slapped his hands over his mouth and spun to look at the redhead. "Your real name's Anna?"

"Anna-Marie Darkholme, actually.", the professor wheeled in, "Is something burning?", Kurt quickly checked his eggs and French-toast, worried he burnt it before sighing, noticing they were _just_ a bit overdone.

"Wait…Darkholme? Wasn't that the name of our principal?", Scott asked, looking up from his spot at the table to Rogue in question. She grumbled, picking her mug back up with both hands.

"So that's why she called you to her office so much,", Jean said in realization. "You two were related! That also explains how you're so advanced in your classes. Having a teacher for a relative must have kept you studying.", she said jokingly.

"Yeah, I guess…", she withdrew a bit back into her shell, as was usual. Logan was watching her closely before grunting and tousling her auburn hair, getting her white bangs mixed in with the darker shades.

"Don't worry, kid.", he said gruffly and she scowled at him, though her eyes were a bit lighter than they were.

"Hey, everyone…", Kitty came in, sniffling and when she saw Rogue she threw herself on the startled girl, who barely was able to put her mug down in time. Rogue patted her awkwardly on the back as she sobbed into her robe but careful not to touch skin.

"Really Kitty, he wasn't worth it if he just threw you away like that.", she tried and was rewarded.

"R-", sniffle and big wet eyes looked up at her, "Really?"

"Of course not. Who would throw away such an optimistic and kind girl like you?", she cooed matronly. Kitty smiled through her tears and squealed.

"Thanks Rogue! You're the best!", after a tight hug, she skipped off to go get ready for the day. Rogue sighed in relief, slumping where she stood.

"I think I'm getting better at this whole, 'girl-talk' thing,", she mused to the others. Charles smiled at her serenely. It was always nice when his more shy students came out a bit. Kurt smiled as well and then began to push her to the table. "Whoa, hey! Kurt! You could have just _asked_ you know.", she told him irritably when he pulled out a chair and then pushed her in a bit while putting her plate in front of her along with the cinnamon dispenser. She was immediately distracted by it and began to grab at it. Pleased she was sufficiently distracted, Kurt got her her mug along with his own plate and chocolate milk.

"Cinnamon?", Scott raised an eyebrow behind his red quartz-sunglasses. Rogue looked up with large, deer-in-headlights at him as she sprinkled quitter happily on her French toast and even in her coffee. He smiled crookedly at her guilty look that followed.

"I like cinnamon…", she trailed off, blushing lightly. 'Well, we learned several things about Rogue today', Scott thought happily, 'Hopefully that will make her relax a bit more around everyone.'

-(~0~)-

"What?"

"You didn't tell them did you?", she asked the boy, who was behind a rather frilly screen changing into clothes that fit his new age better. She smiled secretively. "I suppose not then. You see, Honey, or as you know him, Piper, his mutant abilities are beyond what we see here. Because he used to be a wizard as well."

"A wizard?", Lance scoffed.

"Indeed. It was many, many years ago, and I remember when I met him for the first time,", her eyes misted over in memory though she didn't explain. "He helped me control my own abilities. Him, Marius and I began Trinity of the X years ago, when he was thirteen and first found out about his powers, and that they weren't induced because of magic."

"I thought you said this was started decades ago,", Pietro said suspiciously. She gave him a smile.

"Indeed it was."

"Don't scare them with my old age, Desiree.", came an amused drawl. Looking over, they saw Piper…Er, older Piper. He looked to be in his teens, but he was still effeminately pretty. He wore black legging under a snug, long sweater that was a few inches above his knees and his knee-high black boots. He was tugging at his hair. "I need a haircut.", he said idly, staring at the silky strand between his fingers, "Otherwise people will think I'm a flat-chested girl again."

"I remember those times. It was most humorous."

"For you, it was. For me it was one of the most embarrassing and frustrating times of the decade,", he ranted lightly. She smiled at him sweetly. "Now where is Marius? I haven't seen the little tyke for the past twenty-minutes.", he said with a sigh before a roar alerted them to another's presence before Piper was flung to the ground hard and pinned there, until hands began to move across his sides and stomach. He shrieked in laughter.

"And who are _you_ calling a little tyke?", the man asked with a grin. "Look at you! You're so tiny!", he said playfully, but then froze. A dark red flush covered the back of his neck and he jumped off. They looked down to see that Piper had rather suddenly gained rather large breasts, his body curvier and he seemed a bit taller than previous. His already feminine features increased into a beautiful woman. "H-Honey!", he stuttered. "That's not fair!", a sultry laugh answered him as _she_ stood.

"Such are the powers of one as old as I.", she said in amusement as she stood and brushed herself off. "Though I do prefer being a boy. No 'mother-nature' gifts."

'Desiree' snorted in agreement. She would prefer to have a choice.

"Now then, this is why I choose unisex names.", she put her hands on her hips as she glided towards them gracefully. "Well girls, this'll be more fun anyways. Always nice to have a bit of girl-talk, yeah?", she offered a devious smile as she shared glances with the other women. "But before all that, we came here for a reason. This year is the two-hundredth anniversary of Trinity of the X. Started out as only street urchins thrown out and manifested under the very streets of England and Scotland to grow into the first official mutant group. We, unlike your American groups, have taken great precaution in hiding ourselves. No more. As the two-hundredth anniversary, and also as my two-hundredth and fourteenth birthday, we shall reveal ourselves. It shall not be in riots, we will not resort to barbaric methods unless threatened by an actual _threat_. We will be having the, ah, 'luck', of having a camera crew where we'll be going. That is when we shall begin.", she said with such contrite determination and confidence that those around the room began to applaud her. Then she turned to the smaller group she had brought with her. "You are not evil. Never evil. You are _hurt_, you are _oppressed_, you are _angry_, but _never_ evil. Will you join us? Will you join the Trinity?"

**(~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~)**

Updates will not happen often if anyone is reading this at all. This took me awhile on my own, and since I doubt many are going to read this, it will take me longer to bring up a suitably long chapter. Or, this could just be a longer one and the rest will be shorter. Really, it's all on my mood…Basement-Cat, I'm such a downer….


End file.
